Adequate support by either staff or volunteers to secure the logistics[edit]

Please indicate how you intend to realise the logistics.

Our event management team Wenke Storn and Alice Forstner are available to take care of the project management and logistics, supported by our office team. They are responsible for coordinating all issues regarding the venue, catering, service providers and assisting the participants in travel arrangement and visa application. On top of that, they are going to structure and distribute a variety of duties and responsibilities to volunteers (community and/or members) who are motivated to participate in organising the Wikimedia Conference.

In the previous years, we have issued ~100 invitation letters to participants of our international conferences. We have always informed our Federal Foreign Office about the invitations and they worked hand in hand with us. Visa issuing was rarely a problem, given that the invitation letters were sent out on time and the appointments with the embassies were planned well ahead.

Rough estimate of travel costs for _all_ participants (given that each organisation sends two delegates)[edit]

For the estimate use the chapters listed at Wikimedia Chapters, and the lowest prices on Skyscanner.com for the 3-6 April weekend. While many organisations will likely pay for their own costs, we would like to have a rough estimate of the total cost to the movement.

Estimated flight costs: 48.200,00 € (VAT included)

This estimation is based on a research on skyscanner (prices as of 23 September), for 80 people (2 per each chapter), return flight.

Rough estimate of accommodation costs for _all_ participants (given that each organisation sends two delegates)[edit]

Persons coming from Cambodia, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, New Zealand are eligible for visa on arrival. While, persons coming from Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, South Africa and Uruguay do not need to pay a visa fee.

From WCI experience, everyone except Wikimedia Nepal will need a visa. We had several Wikipedians/Staff attend from USA/Europe/Bangladesh and as far as we are aware there was only one rejection. There was the case of Jimbo where there was a passport mix-up and we had an emergency visa applied within a day. Another case of a Wikipedian from UK where a same day Business Visa was granted. Wikimedia India will provide invitation letters and everything required to all affiliates.

Goa International Airport, more commonly known as Dabolim Airport is just located 16.8 kilometers away from the actual venue. Reaching to the hotel from the venue will just take ~25 minutes as per Google Maps: [1]

Rough estimate of travel costs for _all_ participants (given that each organisation sends two delegates)[edit]

For the estimate, we used the lowest prices on Skyscanner.com for the 3-6 April weekend. While many organisations will likely pay for their own costs, we would like to have a rough estimate of the total cost to the movement.

Rough estimate of accommodation costs for _all_ participants (given that each organisation sends two delegates)[edit]

We took a quote from a few hotels, requesting them details for 70 rooms on double occupancy basis, internet access for all guests, 3 meals a day for 3 days (breakfast, lunch and dinner), airport transfers for everyone, a conference hall for 200 people and 2 smaller satellite halls use from 9am to 6pm.

The rough quote given by Alila Diwa Goa looks to be the most competitive at INR 8000/- per room per day inclusive of taxes which are currently applicable for all the above facilities. This would work out to INR 16,80,000 for 3 nights. We understand a few people may want to stay an extra night depending on their flight schedules which would work out to the same INR 8000/- per night on double occupancy basis for say 35 rooms. There wouldn't be a separate social event because everyone would be at staying together and all meals are included. We could add a live one man band at an extra $500 on one night.

Total cost would be INR 19,60,000/- or USD $ 31,309.82 at an exchange rate of INR 62.60/USD 1 based on a rough quote.

While we understand the quote was requested for hostels and a hotel, we feel that the event and the movement would benefit to a very large extent were everyone to be accommodated at the same place as it would give a feeling of unity and oneness across among participants. We further benefit economically getting the conferencing facility cost included in the cost of the rooms. Lastly it makes it easier for us to manage logistics at one single venue.

The quote also includes pick-up and drop from/to airport and free WiFi connection for all in-house guests.

No experience in that large conferences. We have arranged Wikipedia Academy with between 50-100 persons attending in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Adequate support by either staff or volunteers to secure the logistics[edit]

Please indicate how you intend to realise the logistics.

Staff will handle most logistics. They are responsible for coordinating all issues regarding the venue, catering, service providers and assisting the participants in travel arrangement and visa application. On top of that, they are going to structure and distribute a variety of duties and responsibilities to volunteers (community and/or members) who are motivated to participate in organising the Wikimedia Conference.

Rough estimate of travel costs for _all_ participants (given that each organisation sends two delegates)[edit]

For the estimate use the chapters listed at Wikimedia Chapters, and the lowest prices on Skyscanner.com for the 3-6 April weekend. While many organisations will likely pay for their own costs, we would like to have a rough estimate of the total cost to the movement.

Estimated flight costs: 40,130 € (VAT included)

This estimation is based on a research on skyscanner (prices as of X September), for 80 people (2 per each chapter), return flight.

Rough estimate of accommodation costs for _all_ participants (given that each organisation sends two delegates)[edit]

Our proposed location is Varenna, on Lake Como. It's a beautiful place, and it is well known for hosting international conferences[1].

Varenna is a small village (less than 1000 people), and its economy is tourism based: there are plenty of hotels and restaurants, there are good connections, and beer is cheap.

We decided to propose this location since after last year's debriefing we have realized that attendees hates to be scattered around a big city: in Varenna, everything can be reached in a five minute walk. There is no need for transportation inside Varenna!

George's villa.

Lake Como is an interplanetary known location:

George Clooney owns a villa in Laglio (on the opposite side of the lake);

George's manor was the set for the movie Ocean's Twelve;

in Lenno, villa del Balbianello was the set for the movie Star Wars: Attack of the Clones!

In the past, we organized three editions of the Digital Freedom Festival, that in the first two years has been held in single cities (Milano and Vicenza), while in the third year has been a federated event (taking place in 5 different cities).

Moreover, our general assemblies have often a good participation, and we reached 100 people at least one time.

Adequate support by either staff or volunteers to secure the logistics[edit]

Please indicate how you intend to realise the logistics.

We will confirm the same roles as last year: Giulia as the main event organizer, Emma as a volunteer coordinator, Francesca working on accommodation, Alessandra (new entry!) on visas.

Our volunteers will take care of the sessions of the conference and of the small problems that will arise.

We have already faced this topic last year; the result was that we managed to get visas for everyone except for two countries (one of them was able to send one representative in extremis). As this year the conference planning is starting sooner, we are confident that we will be able to improve this result.

From Orio al Serio (the "Ryanair's airport" of Milan): 60 km; 1 hour and a half by public transportation;

From Milano Linate: 80 km

From Milano Malpensa: 100 km; 2 hours by train.

Varenna is directly connected to Milan by train (62 minutes).

And you don't need to worry about transportation inside Varenna! (since everything is reachable on foot)

Rough estimate of travel costs for _all_ participants (given that each organisation sends two delegates)[edit]

For the estimate use the chapters listed at Wikimedia Chapters, and the lowest prices on Skyscanner.com for the 3-6 April weekend. While many organisations will likely pay for their own costs, we would like to have a rough estimate of the total cost to the movement.

The total cost, computed using skyscanner (as of 29/09/2013) and the data from last year's scholarships, is 48.400 € (VAT included), for 80 people (2 per organization), return flight.

Rough estimate of accommodation costs for _all_ participants (given that each organisation sends two delegates)[edit]

Following considerable deliberation it is with great pleasure that we announce that the Location Committee has selected Berlin as the location for the 2014 Wikimedia Conference.

We received a total of four bids from Germany, India, Italy and Sweden. In selecting the Berlin location we have taken into consideration the experience and capacity of the team; the travel time and cost for attendees; the cost of hosting the conference; and the facilities and room configuration of the proposed venues.

Throughout our deliberations we kept an open mind towards having the conference in a new location/country, and we have appreciated the compact solutions offered by having all participants close to each other or staying at the same lodging; however, we felt that the Berlin bid provides – by a small margin – the best combination of price, distance and experience this year.

We thank all the organisations that have entered a bid for their time and effort and we hope that even if they were not selected this year, they can make use of the experience when they organise other meetings that will further the Wikimedia mission.

In closing, we would like to thank all Wikimedia organisations for placing their trust in this process and committee, which was an interesting experience for all of us. In the hope that the Wikimedia organisations keep the hosting choice an open process, we would like to propose a number of potential process improvements, and we would invite all the bidders and other interested parties to provide their own feedback.